Internal-combustion engine



April 1948- w. M. SCHROEDER 2,439,265

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed May 22, 1944 4 SheetS- -S heet 1 Inventor um /7. 60112 azaz/z,

Mrleys April 1948' w. M. SCHROEDER 2,439,265

INTERNAL-COMBUSTIONENGINE Filed May 22, 1944- 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y I a Mum/v /7. \Scmeazoae,

April 6,1948. I w. M. SCHROED ER v 7 2,439,265

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed May 22, 1944 4 Sheets-Shed: 3

k v r u Inventor MAL/AM /7. Jew/eczema,

Am MM p i 1948' I w. M. SCHROEDER ,2

INTERNAL- COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed May '22, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheec 4 Inventor MAL/AW /7. Jews 0:05;,

Patented Apr. 6, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,439,265 riiaiinrilit-colvmUs'rioN ENGiNii William M. Schroeder, Wau'kegan; Ill. Applicants may 22, 1944-, Serial no. 53 ,770

I claim. 1

This invention relates to improvements internal combustion engines of that type embodying a power shaft; longitudinally opposed gr'dups of cylinders disposed about said shaft parallel thereto, pistons said cylinders; common Diston rods interconnecting the pistons of opposed cylinders, a cylindrical rotor menil'oer fi ed on said shaft intermediate said groups of eyimders and having a continuous cam groove in its cylin drical surface, and means on said pistonrods for engaging said cam groove so that reciproca= tion of the pistons err-est mation of said shaft- An important object of the present invention is to generally simplify and improve the construction of internal combustion engines of the above type.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide, in an engine of the above kind, improved means for forming explosive charges and controlling the admission of said charges to the engine cylinders.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide, in an engine of the above kind, simple and efiicient means for controlling and effecting the exhaust of spent gasesfrom the engine cylinders.

More specific objects and vfeatures of themvention will become apparent-from the following description when consideredin connection with the accompanying drawings, and the iiivention consists in the novel form, combination and arrangementment of parts hereinafter more fully described; shown the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings, wherein likerference' characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a central longitudinal sectional view of an internal combustion engine constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse section taken on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an end elevation looking toward the left of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a central sectional view through one of the heads of the housing of the engine and taken substantially on the plane of line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an elevational view of one of the cam discs employed for opening the intake valves of the cylinders of each group, and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary elevational view showing an intermediate portion of the power ent; engine includes a power shaftj, lori'glt e nally opposed groups of cyiinders 6* and posed about the s aft hparalleltheretp, p tons r and min said cylinders, cornmonpistoirro dfs 8' interconnecting the pistons I and mpf op posed cyliii rs 6 and 5d, a cylindrical r oi member 9" fiX the; Shaft 5 intermediate tll erdps 0f cylinders and a tiniious cam grobve H1 in its cylindrical sur and means H on the" piston rodss for ease g the can; grocve it so that reciprocation"- of the pistons, I and m cause rotation of shaft 5 A In accdraahee with the. prese t inventihh', the groups of cy'li I s and 6a carrid' b and arranged within opposite ends of the e 0 ed cylindrical body; a or housi'rigthat is clesedat its ends by hollow removable heads is and led which respectivel are t e otitifpehd s'iof the cyiind'erst" ar ahe cyli jthehpusing i2 is preferably com o sed sectionslioltedtogether, asat It, and hay g titi'ons rs and i511 bolted between their; mediate section and each end section and re spectively closin the inner ends of the ders 5 and of eynnde-rs ea. defines a chamber betweenthe' groups of cylinders; and fixed on thesh aft 5 within this chamber is the ld tfi e be 't Cr It wi eachjrieae is" and has a ir ijlufality of earns i9 oiif the iiifnef'fa'ci thereof; The or each head is" and 13a is provided with intake ports 29 for the respective cylinders of the associated group, and these ports are normally closed by spring seated poppet valves 2| whose stems extend into the adjacent casing i! in proper position to be operated by the proper cam it of the associated cam disc l8. Thus, as shaft 5 is rotated, the cam discs 18 rotate therewith and cause successive opening of the intake valves 2! in proper timed relation. A pipe 22 conveys fuel under pressure to each head 63 and I312, while another pipe 23 conveys compressed air to each of said heads. The compressed air and fuel supplied to each head combines in the latter to form explosive charges Whose admission to the cylinders is controlled by the valves 2|. Thus, the explosive charges are supplied under pressure to the cylinders and suction of the pistons is not shaft and is open at its ends.

relied upon for drawing the explosive charges into the cylinders. The fuel may be supplied under pressure through the pipes 22 from any suitable source, and the compressed air may be supplied to pipes 23 from any suitable source.

The present engine is preferably of the air cooled type, and for heat dissipating purposes, the body of the housing I! is preferably provided with radial longitudinally extending heatdissipating fins 24. Also, circulation of air through the housing about the cylinders may be permitted by providing the end sections of said housing with numerous openings or perforations, as indicated in Figure 2 at 25.

Each cylinder is provided with an exhaust port 25 at a point so that it will be uncovered as the associated piston approaches its inward limit of movement. The exhaust ports of opposed cylinders are connected by rearwardly directed pipes 21 with a common exhaust manifold 23 that extends alongside the housing parallel with the The front end of each exhaust manifold 25 is preferably flared, as at 29, so that upon forward travel of vehicle equipped with the present engine, air will be scooped into the manifolds. As the air flows at high velocity rearwardly through the manifolds 28, it ejects the exhaust from the associated cylinders 6 and So as their exhaust ports are uncovered. A fuel charge admitted into a cylinder at this time also helps to force the spent gases from the associated cylinder. However, the pistons will again cover the exhaust ports in time to prevent loss of the explosive mixture from a cylinder into which the mixture has been admitted. Any suitable means may be provided for igniting the explosive charges admitted to the cylinders, the ignition system including spark plugs 30 for the respective cylinders. Also, the

" shaft 5 may be equipped with fly Wheels 3| at the inner ends of the groups of cylinders.

An engine constructed in accordance with the present invention is especially serviceable for use upon aircraft, and when the engine is so used, the propeller 32 may be fixed directly upon a projecting end of the shaft 5, as shown in Figure 1.

The timing of the admission of explosive charges and the ignition thereof will depend upon the cycle principle upon which the engine is constructed to operate. It will be evident, however, that upon turning shaft 5 by any suitable means, the engine may be started. When in operation, a charge will be compressed and ignited in each cylinder 6 when spent gases have exhausted from the opposed cylinder Ba, and the charge in said opposed cylinder will be com- 4 pressed during the power stroke of the piston in the first-named cylinder. This action will take place alternately around the groups of opposed cylinders so that power is substantially continuously applied to shaft 5 for driving the latter. From the foregoing description, it is believed that the construction and operation, as Well as the advantages of the present invention, will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art. Minor changes in details of construction illustrated and described are contemplated, such as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as new is: In an internal combustion engine having ,a rotatable shaft, a plurality of cylinders arranged with their axes parallel to said shaft and grouped around said shaft, pistons reciprocable in said cylinders, and means interconnecting said pistons and said shafts for effecting rotation of said shaft upon reciprocation of said pistons in said cylinders, the combination of a hollow cylinder head for said cylinders forming a fuel and air mixing chamber therefor, a group of poppet valves cooperating with said head for controlling the flow of combustible mixture to said cylinders from said chamber, said valves having stems arranged with their axes parallel with and about the axis of said shaft, and a cam fixed for rotation with said shaft and having a camface thereof disposed normal to the axes of said stems and operatively engaging the same, a hollow casing rigidly mounted in andspaced from the walls of said head, said cam being arranged Within said casing, and the stems of said poppet valves projecting into the casing.

WILLIAM M. SCI-IROEDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

